CVE-2004-0944 in ICP
Summary
by MITRE
The web management interface for Mitel 3300 Integrated Communications Platform (ICP) before 4.2.2.11 generates easily predictable web session IDs, which allows remote attackers to hijack other sessions via the parentsessionid cookie.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/05/2017
The Mitel 3300 Integrated Communications Platform represents a comprehensive unified communications solution that provides web-based management interfaces for system administration. This particular vulnerability affects versions prior to 4.2.2.11 of the web management interface component, which serves as the primary administrative portal for configuring and managing the telecommunications infrastructure. The platform's web interface utilizes session management mechanisms to maintain user authentication state across multiple requests, making proper session ID generation critical for maintaining system security and preventing unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions.
The core technical flaw resides in the session identifier generation algorithm used by the web management interface. The system produces session IDs that exhibit predictable patterns, making them vulnerable to session hijacking attacks. Specifically, the parentsessionid cookie contains session identifiers that can be easily guessed or enumerated by remote attackers. This weakness stems from insufficient entropy in the random number generation process, allowing malicious actors to predict valid session tokens and assume the identity of legitimate users. The vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and aligns with CWE-330, which addresses insufficient entropy in random number generation. The predictable nature of these session identifiers creates a significant attack surface that enables unauthorized access to administrative functions without proper authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple session hijacking to encompass complete administrative compromise of the Mitel 3300 platform. An attacker who successfully predicts a valid session ID can gain full access to the web management interface, potentially leading to unauthorized configuration changes, system modifications, data exfiltration, and disruption of communication services. The attack vector is particularly dangerous because it requires no authentication credentials or complex exploitation techniques, making it accessible to attackers with basic network reconnaissance capabilities. This vulnerability creates a persistent threat that can remain undetected for extended periods, as the attacker can seamlessly operate within the system using legitimate administrative privileges. The risk is compounded by the fact that the web management interface typically provides access to critical system configuration parameters, user management functions, and communication settings that could be exploited for further attacks within the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation through the installation of the vendor-provided security patch that addresses the predictable session ID generation issue. Organizations should implement proper session management practices including the use of cryptographically secure random number generators for session identifier creation, along with regular session token rotation mechanisms. The implementation of additional security controls such as multi-factor authentication, IP address restrictions for administrative access, and enhanced monitoring of administrative sessions can provide defense-in-depth measures. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access and privilege escalation, specifically targeting the T1566.001 sub-technique for credential access through session hijacking. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit access to the web management interface and establish automated monitoring for suspicious session activity patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts.